Online Library of Selected Images:
U.S. NAVY SHIPS -- Listed by Hull Number

In addition to fleet type Aircraft Carriers (CV, CVB and CVL), the World War II emergency generated a separate hull number series for aircraft carriers intended for auxiliary purposes such as escorting convoys, transporting aircraft and other missions that did not require high speed. Originally called Aircraft Escort Vessels (AVG), on 20 August 1942 the existing and planned ships of this type were reclassified as Auxiliary Aircraft Carriers (ACV). This was again changed on 15 July 1943 to the type's definitive classification: Escort Aircraft Carriers (CVE). World War II era U.S. CVE designs were derived from those of commercial freighters and tankers, either as conversions or as "built for the purpose" new construction. As such, they were similar in size and performance to the Navy's pioneer "flattop", USS Langley, which had started life as a big collier.

Thirty-three ships numbered in the AVG/ACV/CVE series were transferred to Great Britain under Lend-Lease, some after brief U.S. Navy commissioned service. These are identified below, with the hull number prefix current at the time of their completion. In addition, six U.S. built escort carriers were specifically constructed for the British Royal Navy, though one ultimately went to the U.S. Navy instead. These were numbered separately, as BAVG-1 through BAVG-6, duplicating numbers assigned in the U.S. Navy's own AVG/ACV/CVE series, and are listed separately at the end of this page.

By the mid-1950s, with the Navy's modern conventional airplanes now too "hot" for safe operation from CVEs, many of these ships were reclassifed as Escort Helicopter Aircraft Carriers (CVHE), while others became Utility Aircraft Carriers (CVU). The ships so designated retained their original AVG/ACV/CVE series hull numbers. Later in the decade, some of the survivors were reclassified as Aircraft Ferries (AKV), under a new numbering system. Two others were converted, or planned for conversion, to amphibious assault ships, with "main batteries" of U.S. Marines and their helicopter transports. One was initially redesignated CVHA, with a newly-assigned hull number. Later, both were taken into the LPH hull number series, along with three much larger Ticonderoga (or "long-hull Essex") class aircraft carriers and seven new-design ships completed during the 1960s.

In the early 1970s, under Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt's program to introduce lower capability warships as a supplement to the Navy's more sophisticated (and more expensive) combat vessels, a "Sea Control Ship" (or SCS) was planned and designed. This would have been similiar in both concept and size to the Escort Aircraft Carriers of a generation earlier. While none were built for the U.S. Navy, Spain modified the SCS design and constructed one example for operation of helicopters and short/vertical take off and landing aircraft. Several other nations built ships of similar size and capability, demonstrating the continuing attractiveness of the original Escort Aircraft Carrier concept where relatively modest capabilities are acceptable, or are all that can be afforded.

This page provides the hull numbers of all U.S. Navy escort aircraft carriers numbered in the CVE series, with links to those with photos available in the Online Library.
Note (1): Ships with significant U.S. Navy service are all listed as "CVE", with a note concerning different designators under which they saw prior commissioned service. Some of these may have borne other designators ("AVG" and/or "ACV") while under construction.Note (2): Ships that went to Great Britain are listed under the designator they carried when transferred. Some of these ships had short U.S. Navy commissioned service prior to transfer. Those commissioned for only a few days (or even less) are cited as having "very brief USN service". Those commissioned for a longer period (up to about two months) are cited with "brief USN service".

See the list below to locate photographs of individual escort aircraft carriers.

If the escort aircraft carrier you want does
not have an active link on this page, contact the Photographic
Section concerning other research options.

Note: Hull numbers AVG-2 through AVG-5 were assigned to four passenger liners being considered for conversion to aircraft transports. The conversions were cancelled at the end of 1941, and three of the four liners served instead as U.S. Navy Transports. The Ships involved were:

AVG-2: (no USN service as AVG). This ship became USS Wakefield (AP-21)

AVG-3: (no USN service as AVG). This ship became USS Mount Vernon (AP-22)

AVG-4: (no USN service as AVG). This ship became USS West Point (AP-23)

AVG-5: (no USN service). This ship was the Swedish liner Kungsholm (1928), which became the U.S. War Shipping Administration troop transport John Ericsson in 1942

To the best of our knowledge, the Online Library's pictures
are all in the Public Domain, and can therefore be freely downloaded
and used for any purpose.

Some images linked from this page may bear obsolete credit lines
citing the organization name: "Naval Historical Center".
Effective 1 December 2008 the name should be cited as: "Naval
History and Heritage Command".